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Rejected FIRE Ad at Bucknell Reported by Student Press Law Center

The Student Press Law Center (SPLC) has reported on The Bucknellian‘s rejection of FIRE’s advertisement critical of Bucknell University and some of its administrators. The student newspaper rejected the ad, citing a worry that it "crosses a line that could lead to legality issues for the Bucknellian" because it "might be construed as libel." The ad named Associate Dean of Students Gerald Commerford as the primary malefactor against student rights at Bucknell.

As FIRE has noted for several months, for instance in a May 21 letter to Bucknell’s president regarding Commerford’s actions, The Bucknellianpreviously reported on Dean Commerford’s actions to shut down and later to prevent the recurrence of an affirmative action bake sale on Bucknell’s campus, which violated the Bucknell University Conservatives Club’s freedom of expression. FIRE hopes that The Bucknellian will continue to report on this issue, including my speech on this topic at Bucknell next Tuesday, September 29.